Seduce Me Christmas Special
by HimmelRomance
Summary: A Christmas Party is to be held at the Anderson Mansion. Stacy, one of Mika's college friends, was invited and she willingly accepted the chance to go. She thought she knew how tonight would play out but a part of her questioned if she was wrong... was she? You decide for her! Story includes an introduction before choosing your desired target. Collection of one-shots!
1. Introduction

**Introduction.**

Christmas Day was getting closer as the days went by and for the first time since the death of Harold Anderson there was a party to be held at the mansion. With the toy factory having many employers, Mika being generally popular in the new college she attended and her house-mates having a variety of friends the event was going to be a large one.

Stacy was one of those lucky few people who had clicked with Mika the first day they met. It had been Mika's first year at college, the girl fresh out of school and without Suzu or Naomi to support her she was like a lost little duckling. That's when Stacy met her, the fourth year college student assigned to helping the first year students for the week. It was then that Stacy learnt a little about the young woman, their friendship blooming as time went by. In return Mika had also discovered more to Stacy: she was a few years older than Mika and even though she was coming to the end of her studies she was still 100% focused on them. In some ways she reminded Mika a lot of Naomi; smart, caring and friendly but there were quirks that made her stand out… She never took the spotlight in a crowd of people but if she wanted to be seen she would, she was so highly respected within the college that she was already offered several job roles. She was also dangerously calm; one time a fire had started and raged out of control… everyone was screaming but Stacy was unfazed, she aided people out of the building, ensured that the needed services were called and helped everyone remain calm. There were many positives to the woman so Mika couldn't help but instantly click with her.

The day of the Christmas party finally arrived and Stacy was already running late. She had spent the entirety of her morning doing brain-numbing jobs at the college; sorting the library, checking stock of supplies and speaking with any lecturers that were there. Even though college had already finished for Christmas Stacy had always returned there in the breaks to lend a helping hand and earn some easy cash. Plus with the job offers she was given at the place she was tempted to take one of them; she wasn't the adventurous type so to be offered a place in the location she knew well interested her. Her offers were wide, ensuring that one way or another she was tempted to work there. Many had questioned what Stacy truly wanted to do in life and truthfully Stacy wasn't certain.

Stacy rid her thoughts as she felt the car come to a halt, the woman softly thanking the cab driver as she paid him, ensuring to give him a tip as she left the vehicle. She clutched her purse in her left hand as her eyes fell onto the open gateway of the Anderson household. The whole place was decorated; shining lights, tinsel… it was clear they went all out this year. With a small frown Stacy glanced down at her phone, realising she was at least half an hour or more late. With her eyes directed downwards on her phone she took note of her clothing, casting her eyes back to the mansion ahead. A part of her was concerned that she had chosen poorly but in all honesty she would have worn the same thing either way. With living alone, paying for college and being in full education with extra activities she neither had the time or money to buy a new outfit. With a drawn out sigh she raised her head high; even though she was going to this party solo she was determined to keep the promise she made with Mika to go to the event.

With the hallow clicks of her heels and the muffled music from the mansion ahead Stacy cautiously walked up the tarmac driveway, tucking her phone into her purse. She hadn't worried about bringing a Christmas gift, she had already agreed to meet up with Mika the day before Christmas. With a smile on her face she found herself halting at the front door, ringing the doorbell. She waited a moment, wondering if no one heard the doorbell over the music but as if someone had heard her silent thoughts the door opened.  
"Oh Stacy! I'm so glad you could make it! Come on in" Mika loudly greeted with a huge grin, forcing the woman in. Stacy laughed at her actions, her small concerns totally forgotten.  
"Yeah, sorry about being a bit late" Stacy started off,  
"I was stuck at college longer than I thought. They've got me there every day until the 22nd" Stacy honestly said and Mika knowingly smiled.  
"Sounds like a chore" Mika playfully remarked and Stacy playfully pushed her shoulder. The pair stared at one another before falling into light laughter.  
"Come on, Suzu and Naomi have been dying to finally meet you!" Mika told her and Stacy followed along as she was practically dragged over to her high school best friends.

Mika had told her stories about the duo, her words falling true as Stacy met the two in person and fell into conversation with them. They were practically opposites of one another but Mika seemed to balance them completely, Stacy seemingly having the same effect on them.  
"…I don't know how you have the patience to study for so long, its nuts" Suzu confessed as they spoke making Naomi tut in distaste.  
"It's not that hard to do if you put your mind to it!" Naomi commented making the group laugh.  
"You do remember that Stacy has the highest marks every year, right?" Mika spoke and Stacy shyly rubbed the back of her head as the other two openly stared at her.  
"Wow" they both awed in unison making Mika grin.  
"Anyway I've held you hostage long enough tonight, go and enjoy your evening" Mika told her and with a laugh and a polite farewell Stacy parted from the group, wondering how the night would play out…


	2. James Route

**James Route.**

As Stacy wandered through the cluttered groups of people she couldn't help but draw closer to the large Christmas tree that was set up. It was nearly two floors tall, the open lobby seemingly the perfect location for it to be set up. It was clear that it was a real pine tree, the tips of her fingers fumbling over the closest branch. It was dressed in beautiful shades of gold and red, the placements of all the objects well thought out. The small, dim yellow lights seemed to fit the mood perfectly; they didn't stand out from the crowd, it merely enhanced the decoration on the tree. The only thing that stood out on the masterpiece was the brightly glowing silver star that proudly sat at the top.  
"Are you alright there Miss?" a strong, level male voice spoke breaking her trail of thoughts. Stacy glanced to her right, having to tilt her head upwards to land her eyes on the newcomer's face. Stacy couldn't help but feel she knew this stranger yet she found no name to his face as she studied it; messy dark hair, golden eyes that seemed to gleam behind his glasses and a polite but strong atmosphere that radiated off his form.  
"Yes I'm fine" Stacy politely spoke, gathering herself quickly as she returned her eyes back to the tree.  
"I was just admiring the decorations on the tree" she truthfully told him and without looking she knew he was smiling her way.  
"Ah… I'm glad you approve of them. It took us a while to choose the colours" the male told her. Stacy was quick to register his words, turning her eyes back onto his face.

She had never formally met Mika's house-mates but she was quick to realise the newcomer was one of them. She quickly recalled previous tales Mika had told of them, trying to picture which one it was. Mika wasn't usually one to discuss her home life, sometimes starting a tale but never finishing it. Stacy found it odd at times, wondering if something prevented her speaking freely but she was patient and never pressed the topic.  
"Oh, you must be one of Mika's house-mates… James, right?" Stacy lightly spoke and with the smile extending on his face she knew she had guessed right.  
"Correct" he smoothly answered, tilting his head in greeting.  
"And you must be Stacy, a friend Mika met at college" the man she now knew as James continued on and for the briefest moment Stacy was surprised before she openly grinned.  
"Seems you're correct too" she playfully responded which seemed to spark James.  
"Mika gave us a good description, it's easy to spot you in a crowd" he spoke matter-of-factly and for the smallest of moments Stacy frowned at his words, knowing that he was quick to notice the motion as she returned to her usual welcoming self.  
"She mentioned you were thinking of taking up the teaching job at your college" he continued on, as if shifting the topic slightly and she laughed.  
"Yeah I was thinking about it" she spoke but then shrugged, her laugh faded.  
"Not sure which subject though" she honestly confessed making the man hum.  
"Mika did say you were taking an admirable amount of subjects" James thought aloud and Stacy sheepishly smiled.  
"I've taken eight in total if you don't count extra activities" she awkwardly told him, expecting the usual dumbfounded expression people gave her but he was different. He was actually intrigued and had a look of admiration in his eyes.  
"Which subjects are you studying?" he curiously asked and it surprised Stacy that he was generally interested in what she did. Many just looked upon her as a nerd without truly caring about her interests.  
"Well I've been doing History, Social Sciences, Biological Sciences and Religious Education since I started. I then picked up Psychology, Modern Languages and then English Language and Lit in my third year after speaking to the college. They were concerned that my grades would drop if I took more subjects but I managed to prove them wrong" Stacy listed, thankful that James didn't instantly mock her.  
"And you do extra activities on top of that?" he asked in surprise and she gently laughed, nodding.  
"I'm a quick learner… Plus I like to learn and keep myself busy" she told him casually making the man laugh.  
"So you're saying that I could ask you any question on these topics and you could answer them?" James asked, his brow raising playfully and Stacy couldn't help but brighten up.  
"Are you challenging me?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her as James smirked.  
"I am" he stated, his heart increasing in speed as the shorter woman before him straightened her form.  
"Well let's get started" she suggested, her brain already working at full speed. She loved a challenge, especially when it came down to knowledge.

Over the time they remained together James and Stacy had retreated themselves to the study, glad to be in a much quieter place. James was relentless in his task, the questions becoming increasingly harder as the minutes went by. Stacy was surprised by how much he knew yet she was comforted by the fact that there was someone out there similar to her, someone who thirsted for knowledge. She answered James's next question without a second to think and James seemed to grin.  
"And what about Angels?" he asked, remaining on the topic of Religious Education.

When starting this topic Stacy had been extremely cautious, knowing that there were many beliefs and stories concerning it all. What kept her on her toes though was James's responses; instead of expecting factual answers he now seemed to look for opinions and knowledge build around them.  
"Are you referring to all of them are just one type?" she carefully asked.  
"Hmmm… let's start with Guardian Angels" he suggested making Stacy thoughtfully nod.  
"Well…" she murmured,  
"They're known to protect certain individuals, watching over them as time goes by. They usually protect humanity, a prayer from the dead sparking the contract. It's also told that they contain great strength however I feel that can be debateable" she slowly spoke, knowing that James wanted her to continue on.  
"I feel that they must earn their strength from somewhere, I find it hard to believe that they're instantly strong. I just think that they have to truly believe in protecting the individual, whether that be stronger prayers from the one they're contracted with or simply seeing that the individual is worth protecting through acts of good…" Stacy explained, taking the final sip out of her wine glass. James hummed in agreement, taking a moment to remove his glasses and rub his eyes.  
"You seem to have a very open mind, especially on this topic" he openly told her making her laugh lightly, her worn out energy unmasked.  
"Well everyone has their own views and personal experiences, there's not really much for me to say on the topic besides what's written in the books. Some people think there's nothing out there while there's others who think everything is out there… Some say they're there to protect humanity, some say it's to guide us, and some say they're out to harm us" she responded with a half-hearted shrug, referring to all things that were not human.  
"And what do you think?" James directly asked, leaning forward in the chair opposite her. Stacy shifted her eyes away from his, looking out of the darkened window next to her.  
"I'd like to think there's more out there" she softly spoke.  
"Even if there's bad things out there?" James carefully asked, watching her every more closely.  
"Everything must have balance. If there is bad out there then there must be good" Stacy slowly said, returning her eyes to his.  
"I think everything has a purpose in our lives, sometimes things aren't simply white and black…" she softly said, her words silently warming James's heart.

Throughout their conversation James had pleasantly enjoyed her presence, glad to find someone that matched his own intelligence. A loud knock interrupted Stacy's words as they both looked over, surprised to see Mika and another male standing at the doorway with an annoyed expression.  
"I told you this would happen" the male knowingly mumbled with a shake of his head but Mika paid him no heed as she spoke.  
"Damien said you two ended up here" Mika said, biting back a laugh.  
"It's nearly midnight" she told them which James quickly stood to, holding out a hand towards Stacy.  
"I must apologise for keeping you so long" he gently said.  
"Seems I lost track of time and made you miss out on the party" he added with downcast eyes but his mood darkened even more as the other male spoke.  
"My brother does love a battle of intelligence, it helps him expand that high ego of his" the male roughly spoke.  
"Sam!" Mika quickly snapped, giving him a harsh jab in the ribs but Stacy laughed, taking James's hand as he helped her stand.  
"It's quite alright, you weren't the only one who lost track of time" she gently said to James, turning her focus to the one named Sam.  
"Plus I couldn't simply decline a battle of wits, especially if it helps to keep someone's ego in place" she jokingly said, earning a smirk from Sam.  
"Damien did say you were kicking his ass" he smugly boasted, earning a confused look from Stacy and a hidden embarrassed smile from James.  
"Anyway" Mika quickly butted in, grabbing a hold of the conversation before Sam's tongue got the better of him.  
"The last song is about to play, Erik's picked one of his special songs" Mika suggestively spoke and James knowingly smiled, his hand never leaving Stacy's.  
"Well seeing as it's the last one" James lowly spoke, turning his eyes to Stacy as he lowly bowed before her, their hands remaining connected.  
"Would you do me the honour of having the last dance with me?" he smoothly asked and Stacy warmly smiled.  
"Of course" she answered making James stand tall.  
"Pssh" Sam mumbled as he left. Mika grinned at his retreating form, beckoning the two to follow on after her as she left the study. Hand in hand James and Stacy left the study room and headed down to the lobby for the final dance.

As they entered the lobby all eyes fell on them, the pair of them being quick to guess that undignified thoughts passed through their minds. The pair's cheeks reddened as they glanced at one another but thankfully the pianist, who Stacy guessed as Erik, hit the first note to signal the start of the final song.  
"My lady" James smoothly spoke to his partner Stacy as she curtsied before him and they both smiled, coming closer to one another as the song played. It was a smooth slow song, not truthfully Christmas themed but there was a small part of it that made it fitting. The pair moved in unison, each movement precise and dominant.  
"You're a good dancer" James couldn't help but quietly praise as he held her closer.  
"Thank my extra activities at college" she lowly said in reply, smiling.  
"But I have to say you dance well yourself, there's a European expression to your movements… High class" Stacy added making a small expression of surprise fall on James's face. Stacy let out a small victorious laugh at his expression, avoiding the looks from nearby dancers.  
"You could almost say it's a dance of royalty" she added before twirling before him and reconnecting with his form.  
"Almost?" he jokingly asked in mock hurt and Stacy melted at the look in his eyes, there was that spark again… the one that caught her attention every time it appeared. She nodded, their dance finishing. She curtsied before him as he bowed before she spoke.  
"This is no ball and I'm not royalty, the royal ones don't associate themselves with mere commoners" she told him with a light smile.  
"So yeah, almost" she confirmed with a playful grin as they parted. James chuckled at her words, finally releasing her as the room filled with chatter.  
"Omg Stacy there you are! We've been looking for you all night! Come on, you've GOT to hear what happened to Naomi tonight!" a high voice boomed and Stacy realised it was Suzu attempting to drag her away.  
"Go" James gently spoke and Stacy smiled his way, a silent apology that was understood by him. Stacy allowed herself to be whisked away, joining the small group of Suzu, Naomi and Mika but she couldn't help but feel slightly distracted, her mind elsewhere.

Stacy had no idea what time it was by the time all the guests had left, her being the only one left. She had called the cab twenty minutes ago, knowing that it should be arriving soon. She had tried to look at the grandfather clock that sat to one side but her eyes had started to blur quite some time ago, pleading for rest. The only ones that stood by Stacy's side by the agar front door was Mika and James, Mika being the first one to speak.  
"Thanks so much for coming… even though a certain someone didn't give you time to actually enjoy the party" Mika told her, throwing a mock glare James's way that made Stacy tiredly laugh.  
"Oh please, you should know my mind loves nothing more than a pop quiz" Stacy jokingly replied, giving Mika a shake of her head. Mika beamed at the two of them, her silent plan kept to herself as she spoke again.  
"You're not doing anything Christmas Day are you?" Mika asked her, knowing Stacy's schedule for the month and Stacy sighed, glancing at the Christmas tree before shaking her head.  
"Not that I know of" she tried to casually reply but grew suspicious as Mika widely grinned.  
"Why don't you come over for Christmas dinner?" Mika forwardly asked. Stacy widened her eyes at the invite before frowning.  
"I wouldn't want to impose…" she quietly said but Mika shook the comment off.  
"Don't be silly! The more the merrier" Mika added, trying to be persuasive and Stacy couldn't help but glance James's way.  
"I can't help but agree" he honestly told her, Stacy smiling in comfort at the confirmation.  
"Then I'd love to" she found herself saying, biting back her amusement as Mika squealed in excitement.  
"Good, I know you wouldn't say no! I'll text you the time tomorrow… Oh I can see some lights, seems your cab is here! Mika spoke and Stacy widened the door, her words being true.  
"Well I guess I'll see you in a few days' time" Stacy lightly said, letting out a small yawn.  
"You bet. Don't forget we're meeting up on the 24th!" Mika said making her grin.  
"How could I ever forget?" Stacy mocked, the pair lightly laughing as they hugged each other goodbye.  
"I'll see you out" James smoothly spoke and Stacy gently smiled at the kind gesture, waving Mika goodbye as they left through the door.

The pair silently approached the car, almost trying to drag out the moment. They both halted in front of it, James taking off his blazer to place over her shoulders.  
"Thank you for tonight" Stacy gently told him, pulling the larger blazer closer to her form. James gently took a hold of her hand,  
"No, thank you" he told her, gently kissing the tips of her knuckles. With a blush on her cheeks Stacy smiled up at him. They disconnected from one another, James opening the cab door to allow her in. Stacy climbed in, looking up at James one last time that night.  
"I'll see you on Christmas Day" she quietly spoke, the man brightly smiling.  
"That I will… Have a safe travel home. Goodnight" James gently told her, his tone of voice one Stacy would easily remember.  
"Good night" she murmured as he pushed the door to. The cab driver wordlessly pulled off, Stacy giving one last look at James's standing form as they drove away.

The party definitely didn't go the way Stacy imagined it would go but she was thankful, the warmth of the blazer comforting her. For once she was looking forward to Christmas Day… would it go how she imagined it would or would it be a similar situation to what happened this night? Either way she knew she'd be happy…


	3. Erik Route

**Erik Route.**

Stacy slowly approached the buffet table; with being late home from the college then having to quickly ready herself for the party she had neglected eating. Instead of grabbing the nearest food available the opted to grab a glass of punch, cautiously tasting it to ensure it was alcohol free. She smiled, glad she had something to accompany her as she made a mental note to get some food later. She aimlessly walked away from the buffet, wondering how she could occupy herself.

Her eyes were filled with admiration as she admired the decorations in each room but all that was forgotten as something caught her eye. Slowly she approached the object, noting that it had been moved in a more suitable location for the party tonight. She wondered when it would be used, and for that matter who would be the one playing it.  
"I see something has caught your eye" a smooth male voice spoke and Stacy looked at the newcomer briefly, lightly laughing at being caught.  
"What can I say? I have a soft spot for pianos" she confessed with a grin, her eyes immediately drawn back to the object.  
"It's a good job you're not the only one then" the voice told her and Stacy found herself turning away from the piano to properly look at the stranger. She instantly recognised him, even though she had never met him face to face before Mika had described him to her and shown pictures.  
"You must be Erik" she greeted as he charmingly smiled her way. Stacy remembered the warnings Mika had given her about him; he was naturally charming in his way and took every moment to flirt with another. Stacy could instantly read that from him now that she had met him in person but she couldn't help but believe there was more to him.  
"And you'd be right" he cooed, leaning ever so slightly closer to her form.  
"And what would your lovely name be?" he asked in an attempt to flatter her but Stacy seemed unfazed, her facial expression showing nothing more than politeness.  
"Stacy" she simply replied. She saw the recognition instantly appear in his eyes, his charming atmosphere fading away.

Erik smoothly moved towards the grand piano, taking a seat as he fiddled through the number of books on the stand.  
"Mika mentioned you left one of your books here… Ah, here it is" Erik spoke, pulling out a black covered book from the pile. Stacy's eyes widened at its reveal.  
"Oh I've been wondering where I left that. I must have left it behind when last visiting here" she told him, watching him flick through the pages. Every now and again Stacy had visited the mansion, Mika being the only one home as they hung out. When first realising there was a piano in the house Stacy had practically drooled at the object, Mika being quick to learn that she had learnt to play since a child.  
"There's quite some complex stuff in here" Erik noted, a touch of seriousness to his voice and Stacy couldn't help but wonder if he had looked in the book before.  
"I couldn't resist. Mika had mentioned you played so I wondered what you was learning" Erik honestly told her when noticing her expression.

A smile played on her lips as she bravely took a seat next to him on the bench, her eyes falling on the pages he was slowly flipping through.  
"I wouldn't say I'm learning them" she offhandedly confessed, earning a surprised look from the man.  
"I got that book a few years back, I dug it out the other week to play some songs for Mika" Stacy continued on, her hand stopping his as he went to flip the page.  
"That one is probably the best song from the book" she quietly informed him, removing her hand from his. Erik looked between his hand and the song she had selected, a frown on his face that Stacy couldn't quite understand.  
"It's the hardest too" Erik murmured after a moment, setting his eyes on her and Stacy grinned knowingly.  
"Not one to enjoy a challenge?" she teasingly joked and in an instant the Erik she was warned about returned, his charm overpowering.  
"I never suggested that" he told her with his velvet voice. Instead of encouraging him Stacy shrugged,  
"You usually learn the song as a pair, it's easier that way" she seriously said. Erik parted his lips, wanting to say what was on the tip of his tongue but he soon closed his mouth. Stacy noticed the motion, wondering why he held back but she dismissed the thought as he set the book on the stand, the page still open.  
"Would you play it for me?" he asked in curiosity and the current music seemed to dim in the background, the timing suspicious. Stacy glanced around from where they sat, realising that people were already expectantly looking their way. One of those people happened to be Mika, the woman sending her a sly grin.  
"That girl…" Stacy murmured, Erik wondering what she was on about before he noticed Mika's watchful eyes. Erik had been oblivious when Mika had suggested talking to the woman that he now sat next to but he was quick to realise Mika had planned this.  
"You don't have to if you don't want to" Erik quickly backtracked, hoping that Stacy didn't think he was a part of it all but Stacy shook her head with a smile.  
"It's quite alright, I'll get her back another time" she told him and with her smile still on her face her fingers hovered over the keys.

A soft melodic tone rung out from the grand piano, each tone fluent as Stacy played the song from the booklet. Erik's eyes were glued to her finger movements, not knowing how a simple human could move them so fast. Unknown to the dancing guests Stacy had closed her eyes, not needing the paper to show her where to place her fingers. She could only feel one set of eyes on her, the woman wise enough to know it was Erik who watched her in interest. As the song came near its end Stacy reopened her eyes, gazing at Erik for a moment with her soft smile before finishing her song. The crowd clapped in praise as Stacy stood momentarily, bowing in response. As she retook her seat her eyes fell onto Erik once more.  
"I have to confess" she lowly said, moving her book to the side as she grabbed a red coloured one.  
"Mika mentioned you played too so I may have looked in the books you used" she honestly told him. Without a thought she turned to a certain page, looking suggestively at Erik as she placed it back on the stand. Erik brightly grinned at her silent request, taking over control of the piano as his fingers began to play the song she had chosen.

The two continued on the night this way, swapping as each song finished and softly speaking to one another. It may not have been much of a night to some people but the pair were content with the turn of events, both feeling comfortable with one another's company. With Stacy being such an easy going person Erik felt he didn't need to act in front of her, she was so open and welcoming that no matter who approached her he knew that she would accept them. As for Stacy she was naturally good with reading people, her experience in the past much to her benefit as she slowly cracked the man out of his shell word by word.

They night was drawing to an end and the pair knew they had to play the final song. They were in the middle of discussing who was going to play it but Stacy found a solution.  
"Why don't we both play?" she suggested softly as Erik looked through the books to find a suitable song. He paused on the correct page, his brow raised but he widely grinned.  
"How could I ever say no to that?" he replied after a moment. The pair set their fingers on the piano, already knowing who had to play each part. Both of them played in unison as they performed the final tune, the guests loving their choice of song as they merrily danced the night away with their partners. Stacy watched on, a part of her sad that she wasn't the one dancing tonight but as she felt Erik's arm brush with hers she smiled. There was no denying that he was charming with his forward approach and his flirtatious smile but Stacy had set those factors to the side. She had searched for and found the small touches of normality, the passion he had for certain topics but most importantly she noticed that there was more to him than met the eye. Throughout the night Stacy had wondered if she'd ever cross paths with the man again and be given the chance to know him better.

Finally the song came to an end, the pair of pianists standing to bow as the guests clapped away in joy. Surprisingly it was Stacy who pulled Erik into a brief embrace, the man's figure frozen for a moment before returning the gesture with a light chuckle. Wordlessly the two pulled apart, gazing upon each other as they smiled happily.  
"Wow who would have thought this was the first time you two have played together" a voice from nearby spoke and the pair glanced over, looking at a very smug Mika.  
"I can't imagine it was pure chance" Stacy sceptically spoke with a raised brow, Mika throwing her hands up defensively.  
"Now now, none of that" she playfully warned before laughing.  
"Admittedly I wasn't expecting you to play more than one song" Mika continued on, a touch of curiosity in her tone but Stacy merely shrugged.  
"I couldn't simply deny such good company" Stacy cheerfully said, nodding towards Erik who grinned at her statement. Mika wearily flickered her eyes between the two before removing her current thoughts.  
"You should take the moment to have a break" Mika spoke suggestively, hinting towards the unused chairs. Stacy eyed her for a moment, wondering if she was planning something else but she took the bait, agreeing to her suggestion as she took a moment's break. Erik was the only one to accompany her, the pair thankful that they had the time to properly talk.

As the guests were slowly thinning out Stacy had taken a second to call a cab, not wanting to accept Erik's offer of having him drive her home. She was grateful for the offer but he was tired, they both were at that point and as Mika called out to Stacy of the cabs arrival she yawned.  
"That came quicker than I thought" Stacy told him as she unsteadily stood, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Erik let out a soft twinkle of a laugh as he stood alongside her, walking her over to the front door where Mika patiently waited.  
"Hey, thanks for coming tonight" Mika told her friend as they embraced in farewell.  
"Couldn't break a promise, could I?" she jokingly told her but the pair knew that Stacy would have come either way. Stacy placed her eyes onto Erik, smiling his way as he lightly bowed.  
"Thank you for keeping me company tonight" he told her and she tilted her head in acceptance, turning to leave through the doors. As she was about to exit the mansion Mika grabbed her hand, surprising her.  
"We're thinking of doing something New Year's Eve, a small get together" Mika told her, her eyes sparkling.  
"Would you like to join us?" she added hopefully. Stacy remained silent for a moment, faking out her non-existent though before laughing at Mika's pleading expression.  
"I'd love to" she honestly said. Mika squealed at her answer making Stacy shake her head in amusement.  
"I'll give you the time when we meet up before Christmas" Mika informed her allowing her to move out the door. Stacy did so but halted, turning around to face them properly.  
"I'll see you in a few days" she told Mika but her eyes soon fell onto Erik who remained in place.  
"I'll see you on New Year's Eve" he told her and Stacy warmly smiled his way.  
"Perhaps I'll show you how to play that song" she lightly suggested making the man eagerly nod.  
"That sounds like a lovely idea" he responded. There was no charm in his tone at his response, instead it was filled with friendliness. Stacy smiled as she waved the pair goodbye, approaching the cab to enter it.

As she glanced back at the mansion while the cab pulled away her smile never faded. It was rare for Stacy to truly find the time to enjoy playing music and most impossible to find someone close to her skill. With the chance of playing with Erik again at the end of the year she couldn't help but hope that things would change. As she arrived home and tucked herself in bed she realised that, somehow, she had forgotten the music book yet again.


	4. Sam Route

**Sam Route.**

As Stacy parted from the group she found herself picking up a glass of white wine, forcing herself not to chug it down in one go. She knew she had to get up early the next day for work… one glass wouldn't hurt though. A smile played on her face as she took one of the seats in the corner, hoping she'd go unnoticed for a least a little while.

Stacy didn't mind going to these kinds of events, she was generally good at keeping conversation and for the most part people got along with her well. It was just that the last two or three months had been a total drain on her; she had continuously been study and working, never having a moment for herself to take a rest. This was the first time in a while that Stacy had the time to just sit down and watch the world go by. People were laughing, dancing and chatting with one another which made joy fill her heart. Her eyes fell onto one male though that sat alone, a frown on his face as he too watched the world go by. He seemed uneasy, tense and Stacy wondered if he was uncomfortable being at such an event with so many people bustling around. Stacy's eyes narrowed slightly, trying to gain more information on her target. His dark hair was messy while his green eyes were questioning yet she could tell he too was worn, each movement he took causing strain on his body. Stacy took another sip of her drink, planning to glance away to observe the dancing but she was frozen.

Those green orbs for eyes had found hers, knowing that he was being watched and the pair couldn't find the strength to pull away. A small blush had graced Stacy's cheeks, hoping the stranger didn't think badly of her staring but surprisingly he seemed smug and amused. To ease the moment Stacy awkwardly smiled his way, giving him a silent greeting and the male seemed to chuckle to himself, nodding his head in return. The pair stared at each other a moment longer before Stacy was the first to look away, her eyes directed to the table she sat at. The blush never left her cheeks though, she could still feel his calculating eyes on her form. She took a breath, preparing herself as she glanced his way again, raising her brow in question.

The male seemed surprised that her eyes had returned to his form yet his gaze soon hardened as they shifted to the side of her, Stacy being quick to glance to her left. A male had approached her, an elder man with a striking beard but she bit back her disgust at the stench radiating from his body. He was beyond drunk, Stacy not wanting to guess how many glasses of booze he had drunk, and unfortunately for her the man had taken an interest in her.  
"Well 'ey there be-beaui-iful, wa-wanna have a drink wit' me?" the drunk man slurred, leaning downwards to get a good look at her. Stacy kept her expression blank as he dreamingly gazed down into her eyes.  
"No thank you" she politely declined, turning her eyes away from him as she looked at her half-filled glass on the table. She could hear the man next to her gurgle, clearly not taking her answer seriously as he landed one of his hands on the table. She was not threatened by his presence, knowing the table was the only thing keeping him standing, but when the drunkard placed his other hand onto hers that rested on the corner of the table Stacy became stiff.  
"Aw c'mon love" he cooed but Stacy kept her expression blank, not wanting to gain the attention of anyone nearby.  
"No thank you" she repeated much more clearly this time, her eyes flashing to his in warning. The drunkard sneered, his hand tightening on hers but her expression never changed.  
"I suggest you release me" she lowly spoke, her voice darkening in threat but the drunkard daringly grinned.  
"What'cha gon-na do if I don't?" he retorted, challenging her as he narrowed his eyes but a voice halted Stacy from answering.  
"It's not her you have to worry about" the voice warned.

Both Stacy and the drunkard looked towards the newcomer, Stacy surprised that it was the male from earlier that had caught her staring. The drunkard removed his hand from hers, attempting to square up at the green-eyed male who furiously looked his way.  
"A cabs waiting for you… I suggest you take it" the green-eyed male threatening told him, his words taking a moment to register in the drunkards mind. His eyes widened, debating as to refuse his suggestion but the green-eyed male pulled out his wallet, flashing the police badge that proudly glimmered in the dimmed light. Stacy paled at the reveal of his badge, knowing instantly who this person really was.

His name was Sam, the third oldest brother out of Mika's house-mates and she had heard quite some tales about him. He'd been a part of the police force for quite some time now, an article being written about him every few months. Mika had described Sam as athletic, grumpy and hot-tempered yet Stacy was left wondering what else described the man before her.

At the reveal of his badge the drunkard left, the two watching him leave before finally Sam let out a breath, muttering a foul word under his breath.  
"He didn't harm you, did he?" Sam asked, his voice completely changed. It remained in its rough state, a trait he would probably never lose but it had become concerned, softer. His eyes were directed onto her hand that still remained rooted to the table, Stacy being quick to settle him.  
"No, not at all. Um… thank you" Stacy replied. Sam's eyes returned to hers, silently ensuring that she spoke the truth but he could see no lie to her words. He rubbed the back of his head, looking away from her gaze.  
"No problem" he lowly told her under her breath. Sam remained standing in place, as if hesitant to leave and Stacy inwardly smiled.  
"I'm Stacy by the way, one of Mika's friends from college" Stacy piped up, offering him the chance of a conversation and his gaze was quick to snap back to her, a smile forming on his face.  
"Ah so that's who you are" Sam murmured.  
"I thought I recognised you from somewhere" he added on. Stacy raised her brow in question which seemed to make him smirk.  
"Mika loves to show us videos from college" Sam informed her making Stacy laugh.  
"I'm Sam but I get the feeling you know that already" Sam slowly said as if remembering to introduce himself. Stacy nodded to confirm his statement, taking the moment to hint towards the free seat opposite her.

Sam noticed the motion, sitting opposite her with curiosity in his eyes.  
"So which videos did Mika embarrass me with?" Stacy asked him in humour as she continued the conversation. Sam cracked a grin,  
"Wouldn't say they're embarrassing" he stated, wiggling his brows as Stacy groaned.  
"I hope to god it wasn't the dare I did in the cafeteria" Stacy murmured mostly to herself but Sam's expression showed that it wasn't that.  
"Oh?" he hinted, hoping to get more information. Stacy shook her head, not wanting to repeat her display and Sam mentally took a note of it in his mind.  
"It was actually videos from the fighting club" he told her, Stacy surprised by his answer. Stacy always took her combat lessons seriously, not that she didn't take any of her lessons seriously but the fighting, swordplay and archery clubs were the ones that kept her full attention. There was only so much you could learn from books, these classes mostly required physical training. Stacy wondered when Mika had watched her class, remembering the last time she watch was when she was training with the tutor.  
"I didn't realise she had recorded me" Stacy confessed making Sam shrug his shoulders.  
"No shame in it, you hold your own well" he told her. Stacy allowed a smile to fall on her lips, the small praise from him feeling welcoming.

The two fell into small conversation, Stacy noting the small quirks that would appear. Sam was a curious one at heart yet he acted on instinct, not one to truly dwell on his thoughts as his mouth usually took over. He was straight forward and to the point with his replies yet a few times he backtracked, as if he answered things before processing topics and thinking them over. Stacy couldn't help but feel thankful that Sam wasn't as bland as Mika had described him, Sam's personally one Stacy couldn't quite pinpoint yet.

Their topics were limited, Stacy realising that only a few things interested him. She had wondered if there were topics unknown to her that he enjoyed talking about but she didn't try to figure it out, her gut feeling telling her that there was no way she'd figure it out tonight.  
"I doubt you can even match me" Sam boasted, leaning forward in his chair as Stacy mocked a glare.  
"Are you challenging me?" she replied playfully and Sam tried to play it cool by shrugging off the comment but she knew he was interested.  
"You'd be wasting your time" he lowly said in warning but Stacy stubbornly ignored him, leaning forward as she propped her arm on the table.  
"I like to know my limits" she smoothly said, not allowing him to dismiss the challenge so easily and Sam smirked, clasping his hand with hers.

The pair knew the rules of arm wrestling, not having to point them out to prevent any dirty fighting during the match. They had started on Stacy's stronger side, her right, but she couldn't help but feel out of her depth. It wasn't surprising that Sam's hand was rough compared to hers yet Sam couldn't hide his surprise at how tight her grip was.  
"Ready?" Stacy asked, only receiving a grunt of agreement. The two strengthened the pressure, the motion slow as they tested each other's limits. They were both cautious, holding back to ensure they didn't harm the other.  
"You don't have to hold back, I can take it" Stacy quietly told him. Sam understood her request; she wasn't mocking him thinking that he was using his full strength already, instead Stacy knew that he was holding back and asked him to treat her as an equal, someone who can handle the consequences of being beaten and harmed. Stacy could feel him applying more pressure bit by bit, the man halting as their hands slightly moved in his favour. Stacy managed to retaliate and even the odds a few times but they came to a point where Stacy couldn't balance the pressure.  
"Seems I'm the one wasting your time" she lowly told him,  
"Hmm, this must be my strength's limit" she confessed. She wasn't ashamed nor was she defeated, she was more content on understanding her limits. Sam was watching her closely, refusing to apply more pressure to end the match.  
"Many would have given up by now" Sam quietly told her, forgetting that the rest of the world existed as he analysed the woman before him. Stacy forced a smile,  
"I like to think my stamina is my greatest strength" she honestly said and she could see Sam taking the moment to process her words. His eyes fell onto their clasped hands, noticing that even though Stacy had hit her limit she wasn't trembling under the pressure. Her pressure to prevent him winning never weakened, it remained strong and true.  
"I think you're right" Sam spoke, testing her further as he applied more pressure moment by moment. Each time the match went more in his favour but Stacy refused to let up, her pressure always remaining the same as she held him back. He inwardly smiled as he gently tapped her out. The pair gazed at their hands for a moment before parting them.  
"Your strength is pretty good but it seems your grip favours weapons" Sam told her making Stacy nod in agreement. Sam rubbed his hands together, the slight tingle in his hand failing to fade away and Stacy sent him an apologetic glance.

It was clear that the two wanted to continue their conversation, enjoying each other's company but they were disturbed by Mika's voice.  
"Oh there you guys are" Mika exclaimed, the pair finally returning their attention to the rest of the world. Most of the quests had already left, the Christmas music lowered immensely and the area they sat at was darker than they first remembered.  
"Oh hey Mika" Stacy greeted before frowning at the look Mika threw at them. Mika was questioning why they sat together, as if they weren't meant to match but both Sam and Stacy paid her no heed.  
"I thought I'd warn you it's gone two already" Mika spoke, Stacy's eyes widening at the information.  
"Ah shit" Stacy cursed, pulling her phone out of her purse. True enough it was twenty past two in the morning.  
"Let's hope a cab will still pick me up at this hour" Stacy murmured, punching the numbers on her phone.  
"You can stay here for the night if you want" Mika suggested before Stacy called the number.  
"I can't" she softly responded, a part of her sad she couldn't accept her offer.  
"I've got some stuff at home I need to take in tomorrow… I didn't have time to prepare it either before leaving for the party" Stacy explained and Mika sighed, allowing her to call the number.

The phone call was brief, relief spreading over her features when the call ended and Stacy placed the phone back in her purse.  
"Someone's already nearby, they can pick me up in a few minutes" she told the silent two, letting out a yawn. Mike smiled but then her eyes gleamed.  
"Hey Stacy, when did you say your tournament begins?" Mika asked and it took Stacy a moment to figure out what she was on about.  
"Oh the sword fighting one? Start of January, tenth I think it is… Why?" Stacy responded, confusion on her face. Mika glanced at Sam, the male glancing at her in question before she smirked.  
"Don't mind if I come and cheer you on again? Wait, Sam I'm pretty sure you have the day off as well. I'm sure Suzu and Naomi would love to watch you too!" Mika told her making Stacy groan loudly.  
"I thought I banned you from coming to my tournaments after the last time you embarrassed me" Stacy replied and Mika pouted.  
"But what will you do without my support? You know you fight better when you hear me cheering on" Mika whined and Stacy groaned again.  
"Only so I can end the match faster so I don't have to listen to your screeching" Stacy sourly murmured and at her words Sam laughed.  
"I'll only agree if you behave this time around" Stacy continued on, her tone warning but Mika paid it no heed as she squealed in excitement. Stacy grinned at her but a toot from a car outside faded it.  
"Sounds like your ride is here" Mika noted in thought. Stacy went to give her farewells but Sam was already on his feet.  
"I'll walk you out" he lowly said, his lightened cheeks hidden by the darkness of the corner and Stacy nodded in acceptance.

Stacy and Mika gave their farewells, Mika reminding her about meeting up again before Christmas. Sam walked Stacy out to the cab, his walk slightly jerky from unease.  
"Thanks for tonight" Stacy gently said as she halted by the cab, turning to face him. Sam shrugged at her words, turning his gaze away from hers.  
"I'm sorry that asshole ruined it" he murmured, referring to the drunkard from earlier. Stacy laughed,  
"Are you trying to say that I wouldn't be able to beat him up if something happened?" Stacy jokingly said, easing his thoughts as he smirked at her words. Stacy smiled his way, opening the cab door but froze as his hand landed on her arm. She questioningly glanced his way, his blush revealed under the moonlight but he refused to accept its presence.  
"Are you meeting Mika here on the twenty-fourth?" he quietly asked and Stacy nodded, making him give a small smile.  
"Looks like we'll see each other again soon" he quickly said, removing his hand as it dawned on him what he just said aloud. Stacy gently laughed his way.  
"Looks like we will… and you have the chance to witness my sword fighting in its full glory next month" she responded, the mention of the tournament more of a personal offer to come rather than a reminder. Sam grinned, nodding his head as he allowed her to enter the cab. The pair waved each other farewell as the cab pulled away, both of them silently happy with the opportunity to meet and talk again.

Sam re-entered the mansion, a grin plastered on his face but when noticing Mika a question he thought of reappeared.  
"Mika" Sam called out, earning her attention.  
"What?" she called back refusing to move from her spot. Sam swiftly approached her, his eyes bright.  
"You don't happen to still have that video of Stacy doing a dare in the cafeteria?" Sam asked making Mika cattishly smirk.  
"Perhaps".


	5. Matthew Route

**Matthew's Route.**

Stacy hadn't long parted from Mika, Suzu and Naomi when she was halted in her movement, a male cry being heard over the music. A few guests glanced its way, confusion on their faces but none went to investigate. Stacy would have done the same but her curiosity got the better of her.

Slowly she approached the dining room, her brows furrowed as she tried to find her suspect and her eyes finally found them, a male anxiously standing in the doorway towards the kitchen. He wasn't much taller than Stacy and she couldn't help but assume they were close in age. His dark hair was ruffled in a way that told her the male had constantly been running his hands through them in frustration. His sky blue eyes were wide in worry, as if something had shocked him and caused worry. Hesitantly Stacy approached the figure, hoping to give him her aid.  
"Hey… are you alright?" Stacy gently asked as she halted next to the male and he jumped in surprise. His eyes flew onto her form, surprised that she had indeed asked him and he nervously laughed.  
"I… uh… Yeah everything's fine" he slowly responded yet Stacy could tell he was a terrible liar. She frowned at the male.  
"You don't look it" she truthfully told him and at her concern the male weakly smiled.  
"Well…" he breathed, his eyes glancing back to the kitchen, coming at a loss.  
"I've seemed to have lost someon-something" he told her and Stacy's frown deepened, dismissing his quick correction of words.  
"If you want I can give you a hand finding it" Stacy suggested and the male seemed startled.  
"I… n-no I think… I think I'll be fine" the male quickly responded and a brief expression of rejection played on Stacy's face before she forced a smile.  
"Well if you change your mind just come and find me" she told him and with that she left his company.

An hour had passed and Stacy had joined forces with Mika, the pair happily standing to one side as they spoke. Stacy was enjoying her night so far, it wasn't going any differently to how she expected it... until she noticed the guy from earlier. Mika glanced the way Stacy did, wondering what caught her attention and she smirked.  
"Matthew's caught your eye?" Mika playfully whispered and Stacy looked her way.  
"Huh?" was the only replied and Mika grinned.  
"You were totally staring at Matthew" Mika told her and realisation dawned on her.  
"Oh" she breathed, a concerned expression on her face.  
"It's just that earlier he seemed pretty distressed… he said that he had lost someone, or something. I'm not sure which" Stacy explained to her friend as she glanced back in his direction, unhappy that he still wasn't settled down. Unknown to Stacy Mika had frowned at her words, as if a bad feeling entered her gut so without another thought she called Matthew over, the male seemingly nervous to join them both.  
"This is Stacy, the friend I've been talking about for months on end" Mika innocently introduced as Matthew joined them and his eyes widened.  
"Y-you're Stacy! Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't recognise you earlier" Matthew blurted and Stacy dismissed his apology with a smile.  
"It's quite alright, you was distracted after all" Stacy tried to reason and Matthew sighed, looking across at Mika.  
"I can't find him anywhere" Matthew told her, Mika understanding his words instantly.  
"Are you sure you checked the kitchen properly?" she asked him, her tone low but Stacy could still hear them clearly. Matthew furiously nodded making the woman sigh.  
"Have you looked upstairs yet?" Mika questioned, the male shaking his head.  
"I was just about to go up there to look" he honestly told her, his eyes flickering onto Stacy.  
"My offer still stands" she told him with her smile.

Mika looked between the two, wondering what she had offered but Matthew's words gave her the answer.  
"O-oh, I wouldn't want you wasting your time looking as well" he quickly said, expecting Mika to back him up but instead she went against him.  
"You're missing out" Mika told him with a grin.  
"Stacy has a great skill for finding things, you'd be surprised" Mika carried on, wiggling her brows. Stacy awkwardly laughed at her words while Matthew stared at Mika, almost asking her if it was truly ok for Stacy to join him. With a nod from her Matthew turned his gaze to her, an almost childish expression falling on his face.  
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Matthew nervously asked and Stacy shook her head.  
"Well then I'll leave you two to it" Mika spoke and the two nodded, parting away from Mika as they headed for the stairs. Mika watched them go before hunting down Damien, hoping he'd have the real answer to where Matthew's target was.

Both Matthew and Stacy made it to the second floor, Stacy keeping at his side as he led the way.  
"So what exactly are we looking for?" Stacy curiously asked making Matthew glance her way, a look of wonder on his face.  
"Well…" he started off, trying to find the right words.  
"He's… kind of a creepy stuffed toy, like one you'd have nightmares about when going to sleep" Matthew told her, his body trembling ever so slightly at the thought. Stacy tilted her head,  
"That doesn't really give me a lot to go on" Stacy honestly said and Matthew awkwardly laughed.  
"Right, I should tell you what he's like… He's pretty small, white in colour with red eyes and a knife in one hand" Matthew started to explain to her but a light giggle interrupted him.  
"That sounds like a pretty funny toy to me" Stacy told him and at his mortified expression she laughed.  
"He can't be that creepy" Stacy spoke again as they entered the library, their first location to look and he forced a grin.  
"You'd be surprised" he replied, the pair starting their search.

They had gone through the library, study and three guest rooms but the pair had been unlucky in their search. They had spoken without a pause, Stacy finding that Matthew was actually lively and talkative when becoming comfortable with his company.  
"I can't see he'd be in here" Matthew had told Stacy as he opened the next room, entering it as she followed behind. It was another bedroom but unlike the others this one was lived in. She knew it wasn't Mika's room but she wasn't certain which house-mate of Mika's this one belonged to. They got to work, Stacy being careful not to pry in places she shouldn't but as she halted at the bookshelf she froze.

She remained unmoving for a few moments, simply studying the contents on the shelf until Matthew joined her side.  
"Is everything ok?" he lightly asked in concern but Stacy smiled, shaking her thoughts away.

"Sorry" she apologised,  
"I've just never seen toys like these" she truthfully told him. Each and every toy on the bookshelf was unique, a great deal of love and care taken to create them. Every single one lightened her heart, even if none of them was the 'Simon' toy they hunted for. She knew Matthew was watching her closely, curious to how she would react to them.  
"Do you like them?" Matthew cautiously asked, as if nervous about her answer but she nodded, calming his nerves.  
"Thanks" Matthew was quick to say and when facing him Stacy saw him grinning ear to ear.  
"These are yours?" she gently asked, the smile never leaving his face as he set his eyes on the toys.  
"Yeah… ever since moving here I've been making them" Matthew told him and Stacy was surprised.  
"That's a really nice talent to have" she gently told him, a light blush gracing her cheeks at the realisation of being alone in his room. The same thought never dawned on Matthew though as his smile slackened.  
"My mum used to get sad and lonely a lot when I was younger, I didn't know how to make her happy… so I started making toys, knowing it would make her happy again" Matthew lowly told her, his voice weak but serious. Even though his words were meant to bring joy Stacy saw the complete opposite, as if he had spoken of a past best forgotten. Gently Stacy placed a hand on his arm, supporting him.  
"I'm sure she loved them" she gently told him and at his forced small smile she knew she had said the right thing.  
"Was Simon a toy you also made?" Stacy asked, shifting the topic ever so slightly. At her question he grinned.  
"Yeah! He was actually the first one I made when coming here, it was a gift for Mika" Matthew told her, his previous thoughts pushed to the side.  
"Oh?" Stacy responded, her brow raised.  
"Unfortunately Simon didn't quite turn out the way I expected him to" Matthew continued on.  
"I guess you didn't like the creep factor" Stacy lightly joked and Matthew grinned, nodding. Stacy patted his arm, finally removing her hand from his form as she gave his collection of toys another glance.  
"I'm sure he has his own charm to him" Stacy told him, smiling as she turned away from the bookshelf.  
"Just like the rest of your collection" she murmured afterwards, her quiet words unknowingly being heard by Matthew.  
"Wait… you don't think it's a childish thing to do?" Matthew asked, surprised for not being mocked. She turned to face him again.  
"Not at all, as I said it's a nice talent to have" she smoothly replied.

The duo continued their search, their conversation smooth and friendly and Stacy couldn't help but enjoy his company. She was becoming more familiar with his expressive nature, his every emotion never failing to show in his body language. Stacy was glad to have met him. She took life so seriously at times that she forgot to relax and have fun. Stacy was pulled out of her thoughts as something hit her square in the face, her body jerking in surprise as her mind processed what happened. A cushion sat at her feet, a laughing Matthew pointing her way.  
"Haha, your face is priceless" he laughed out and grinned as Stacy thoughtfully looked at the cushion, picking it up in her grasp. Her eyes soon returned to her attacker, her own grin appearing.  
"You don't even know what you've just started" were her only words as she prepared her attack.

True to her word Matthew didn't know what he had gotten himself into. Stacy was relentless as they both attacked one another with cushions but they were both laughing, glad to forget reality for a few moments. They were at full war when they were halted by Mika's laugh at the door.  
"Damn, who would have thought you'd be so playful" Mika thought aloud as Stacy's cheeks reddened, lowering the cushion on the seat nearby.  
"Well it's his fault" Stacy childishly said, beckoning at Matthew as he cried out in protest. They both laughed, Mika being the only one to smile instead.  
"I found him by the way" Mika told the pair, voicing her reason for finding them. Matthew let out a large sigh of relief as did Stacy.  
"Where was he?" Stacy asked and Mika slyly grinned.  
"He was still in the kitchen" she stated, Matthew's eyes going wide.  
"Wait, what! How? I looked everywhere" Matthew cried out and Mika forced a shrug.  
"I guess you didn't look hard enough" she teased making him scowl.  
"And how did you find him?" Matthew asked, crossing his arms stubbornly as Mika grinned.  
"I asked Damien" she stated making Matthew groan. Matthew seemed relieved at the thought of finding Simon but something else lingered in his form… embarrassment. Matthew turned his eyes to Stacy.  
"Ugh I should have gone to him first. I'm sorry for making you miss out on the party and waste your time…" Matthew quietly said, his head bowing down in shame to avoid her eyes but Stacy lightly smiled.  
"I wouldn't call it a waste" she gently said his way, his eyes snapping to hers. They were gentle, her words proving true but they soon changed playful.  
"Plus it's clear that I am the champion of pillow fights" she boasted, turning her eyes to Mika as she did a pose. Mika laughed as Matthew threw the cushion Stacy's way, hitting her on the back of her head. Stacy threw him a glare but then laughed, picking up the cushion he had thrown.  
"As much as I'd like to see you own him… It's early hours of the morning" Mika warned, Stacy being quick to discard the cushion on the seat where she had previously placed the other one.  
"Shoot… I have work tomorrow" Stacy complained, turning to focus on Matthew.  
"I'm afraid our battle must wait another day" she told him and he laughed, nodding.

Stacy pulled out her phone, calling her cab and before she knew it she was by the front door, her cab waiting outside already. She had already said farewell to Mika but Matthew had waited with her, the two not having to give their farewell until now.  
"Well I guess it's time for us to part" Stacy slowly said, a touch of disappointment in her tone and Matthew sadly smiled.  
"Yeah…" he breathed.  
"Thanks for… y'know, tonight" he shyly continued on and Stacy warmly smiled.  
"No problem" she told him. As she widened the door to step out Matthew spoke again.  
"Are… are you still coming over before Christmas?" he asked, his voice hopeful as she nodded knowing that she was meant to meet with Mika.  
"Well looks like I'll see you then" he told her and she grinned.  
"Let's hope you don't lose Simon again" she joked his way. They both laughed, giving their farewells as Stacy left the mansion.

As they parted and Stacy fell out of view Matthew couldn't help but sigh. Unknown to either of them they both hoped that Simon did indeed do another disappearing act, allowing them to spend time together one more time…


	6. Damien Route

**Damien's Route.**

Stacy had barely gone a few minutes parted from the group before Mika returned to her side, a glint in her eyes.  
"I forgot to mention that I found some books that might interest you" Mika told her and a look of confusion fell on Stacy's face.  
"You mentioned that you wanted more variety for the Book Club tutoring sessions" Mika added, hoping to re-jog her memory and Stacy brightly grinned in understanding.  
"Really? That's awesome" Stacy brightly exclaimed, thoughts of the party completely thrown out the window. Mika laughed at her enthusiasm, knowing her friend a little too well.  
"Most of them are in English unfortunately. There are some German ones but I'm not sure how useful they'll be" Mika told her but Stacy shook her head.  
"Anything will be great" she told her and Mika nodded.  
"I set them in the library, they're on the coffee table by the seated window" Mika informed her and Stacy longingly glanced at the stairs which Mika noticed with a grin.  
"Go ahead" Mika said making Stacy her way.  
"You do realise it's unwise to leave me in a library" Stacy warned her but Mika shrugged.  
"Tonight's meant to be a night to enjoy. I'll find you in a few hours' time… I doubt you'll return down here without force" Mika jokingly told her making Stacy embrace her.  
"You're the best, I'll catch you later" Stacy almost squealed, quickly leaving her side and heading straight for the stairs. Mika grinned as the woman retreated, turning her head as someone joined her side.  
"Looks like you owe me $20 James" she murmured and the man besides her chuckled.  
"Looks like I do… who knew a human would choose books over a party" he softly spoke back.  
"I can think of a demon who would too" Mika quietly told him and James grinned knowingly.  
"Willing to make another bet" Mika asked in curiosity and James smirked in response.

Stacy was in her own little world as she entered the library, a smile remaining on her face as she headed straight for her target. Stacy was a workaholic, she wouldn't lie but the reasoning behind leaving the party for some simple books was close to her heart. She found the books easily, a huge pile of them stacked up and Stacy couldn't help but hum to herself in thankfulness at the wide selection Mika had provided. With that thought she scanned the titles of each book, picking out the simpler books as she took a seat at the window, cracking the first book open with an open mind.

Stacy wasn't sure how much time had passed as the door of the library creaked open, her finger lingering on the last sentence she had read as she looked up. She knew who the newcomer was instantly as he carried in two drinks. From what she knew the males name was Damien, the youngest living in the Anderson household. Mika was brief when describing him to her but the man seemed to reappear as the main topic very often.  
"Mika suggested to bring up a drink for you" Damien softly explained and Stacy gently smiled.  
"Thank you" she replied, wondering if the man actually knew who she was.  
"It's nice to finally put a name to a face, Mika's spoken so much about you. I'm Damien" he continued on confirming Stacy's question as her smile widened.

It was at this moment Damien's eyes settled on the book in Stacy's hands, a small blush forming on her face.  
"Mika picked them out for me to help at the Book Club" she quickly explained, knowing that the children's book in her hands may have raised questions. Instead of the usual response of laughter Stacy got when mentioning the Book Club to others Damien's eyes lit up.  
"Oh really?" he murmured, his voice light and Stacy nodded, patting the seat beside her. Damien was fast to accept the offer and Stacy dismissed the book she was reading, her finger moving off the sentence as she accepted the drink off him.  
"I mostly help children improve their reading" she started to explain, waving a hand to the rest of the pile of books.  
"They're all different ages and are at different levels when it comes to their skill" she informed him. Stacy placed her attention back to the book in her hands.  
"A new child joined the other week, he was struggling to keep record of what was going on in the story, and I've found that stories with illustrations have been helping him a lot" she told him making Damien stare at the book.  
"Do you only help children?" Damien softly asked.

Stacy glanced his way and instantly saw the emotions running on his face. There was a longing there entwined with silent hope and curiosity. She had seen that expression many times over her life, especially when she thought of the Book Club in particular.  
"Not really" Stacy said, hoping she understood her current situation. When speaking with Mika about the Book Club she had always been interested in the types of people joining and how the system worked. She had also asked many questions as to the types of people allowed there. With that and the constant topic of Damien soon following afterwards Stacy hoped that she had connected the dots correctly.  
"The club does a reading group session for adults in the evenings. They all get given the same book and then read aloud in turns" Stacy told him and she instantly saw the hope die in his eyes.  
"We also offer one to one tutoring for adults. Sometimes the older generation feel uncomfortable taking a part in group activities so we offer that for them too. The reader can choose who they want to tutor them and for the most part they can choose the books they read" Stacy continued on making wonder return to Damien's eyes.  
"Are you one of the tutors?" he cautiously asked and she nodded, smiling.  
"I mostly help the children but I have taken on two adults recently. One has just started learning German while the other simply enjoys being read to" Stacy answered him and Damien frowned.  
"They just listen?" he asked her and she nodded.  
"They suffer from anxiety and they recently became blind" Stacy honestly said.  
"They find it relaxing listening to a story so they come to me twice a week" she added and Damien's face softened.  
"That must be nice" he quietly said, a sigh being added to the end of his words.

Stacy couldn't help but wonder what held him back; clearly he wanted to get more involved when it came to reading yet he stopped himself. She could see a red tinge begin to form on his cheeks as she tried to analyse him, his form becoming stiff.  
"You sound as if you'd be interested in joining" Stacy carefully mentioned, wondering if she could find out what held him back. It was clear that her words put him in the spotlight, his eyes begging for a way to dismiss the topic. Stacy's face immediately softened, setting the book she held to the side as she pulled out another book.  
"Would you like to listen to one of the books?" she offered, trying to approach him another way.  
"It would be nice to get a second opinion to if this book is suitable to use" she added on offhandedly but both of them were aware that she used it as an excuse. Damien's whole body relaxed down, accepting her offer with a nod. With a brief smile Stacy opened the chosen book, gently reading the words out loud on the page.

The book she had chosen was an English illustrated book designed for younger children. Damien seemed content with her choice, the pair of them sitting side by side as they both fixed their eyes on the book. Now and again Damien had halted her either asking a question or briefly stating an opinion on something. They had come to the end of the story, Stacy taking a brief sip of her drink once she had finished.  
"You're a good reader" Damien softly complimented, his eyes half closed as Stacy sighed.  
"Thank you" she politely responded. Damien seemed to scrunch his face for a moment, something Stacy had noticed him doing before asking her opinion on something. Stacy patiently waited for him to speak.  
"What were your thoughts on Kerr?" he asked, referring to one of the characters in the story.  
"I think he's unique, special" Stacy instantly told him which seemed to gain his interest.  
"You don't think of him as a monster?" Damien carefully asked but Stacy shook her head.  
"We can't choose what we are when we're born" she told the male with a soft smile.  
"Even though he had the ability to harm others he didn't, and he knew accepting the chance to remove it for his own benefit wasn't a good choice. He learnt to control himself and use it for good, protecting the village he lived in" she explained to him which made Damien turn conflicted. Stacy didn't quite understand why he felt that way.  
"Would you still think of him the same way if he had hurt someone before?" Damien quietly asked and Stacy pondered for a moment, not giving an instant reply.  
"It would depend on if he intended to harm them to begin with… If you can't control something then sometimes you can't help but hurt someone. At the start of the story he wanted to cook the cake but instead he burnt it using his flames. He wanted to do something good" Stacy honestly told him.

Damien smiled at her words but Stacy knew he was overthinking them… for what reason she didn't know. Before the pair could speak another word another voice interrupted them.  
"Ah there you two are!" Mika greeted and Stacy widely grinned.  
"These books are great" Stacy told her friend.  
"Well they must have been to keep you here for so long" Mika jokingly said, Stacy frowned, wondering how much time had truly passed.  
"It's three in the morning" Mika told her when noticing her expression causing Stacy to pale.  
"Oh god! I have work tomorrow…" Stacy exclaimed, getting to her feet but Mika waved her hands.  
"I've already set up the spare bedroom for you and James has agreed to drop you off tomorrow morning on his way to work" Mika explained to her and Stacy relaxed down.  
"Are you sure? I can still call a cab…" Stacy unsurely stated but Mika dismissed her words.  
"I'm sure Damien can show you the way" Mika suggestively said and Stacy glanced his way, smiling as he knowingly nodded. Mika was quick to bid her goodnight and leave the library.  
"I'll take those for you" Damien softly offered as he grabbed the bundle of books and Stacy gave him a word of thanks.

The pair wordlessly headed out of the library and down the corridor, Damien slow in his pace as he led the way. He halted by one of the opened doors, the room displaying a freshly made bed with clean clothes set out for Stacy to use. Carefully Damien set the pile of books on the table just inside the room.  
"James usually sets off early in the morning so I'm not sure if I'll see you in the morning" Damien slowly said, almost sad at the thought.  
"It's technically morning now so you've already seen me" Stacy joking said, hoping to cheer him up and he chuckled.  
"But thank you for keeping me company tonight" Stacy continued on in a more serious tone. Damien bowed his head, stepping out of the room as the pair remained on either side of the doorway.  
"I guess this is goodnight" Stacy quietly said after a moment and Damien nodded. Stacy would have closed the door to retire to bed but the expression on Damien's face told her to patiently wait a moment.  
"Stacy" he lowly murmured, his cheeks reddening ever so slightly.  
"Do… do you have the time to take on another person at the Book Club? I mean if it's not too much trouble…" Damien nervously spoke and Stacy widely smiled.  
"Of course I do" she openly said which made Damien awkwardly grin.  
"We can keep it one to one if you're more comfortable that way" Stacy suggested which seemed to bring a great deal of relief to the man.  
"That would be great" he honestly told her. The pair finally said their farewells as Stacy closed the door to, heading straight for bed. Even though they were separated physically they were not truly parted mentally…

Damien happily sighed to himself as he headed down the stairs, coming face to face with Mika and James.  
"Seems like James owes you nothing now" he told the female and James warmly smiled at his youngest brother, looking down at Mika.  
"Told you he'd give in and ask her to join" James stated with a smirk that Mika couldn't help but groan to.


	7. Simon Route

**Simon's Route.**

Stacy roamed from group to group, trying her best to mix with the crowd. For the most part she was enjoying her evening, the food much to her liking as she seemed to return to the buffet table every ten minutes. The guests were enjoying the night along with her, Stacy managing to pick up a few dance partners here and there much to her amusement.

Stacy had moved around so much that evening that she had managed to re-join with Mika, the young woman shaking her head in amusement at the sight of her.  
"What's up?" Stacy questioned when realising Mika was slightly stressed out. Her friend sighed, eyeing up the remaining glasses of wine.  
"They're going faster than I thought they would" Mika confessed, hinting at the lack of them.  
"What did you expect? You can't simply ignore the chance of having free wine" Stacy humorously stated making Mika tightly smile.  
"I've noticed you haven't touched a glass tonight" Mika suggestively noted making Stacy laugh.  
"I happen to have work tomorrow so I'm being a responsible adult" Stacy told her making Mika knowingly smile.  
"I could give you a hand refilling the glasses if you want" Stacy suggested.  
"Don't be silly, you're a guest!" Mika quickly responded in surprise.  
"And I'm also a friend" Stacy added with a wink. Mika looked up at her friend, a soft true smile playing on her lips.  
"Are you sure? I don't want to ruin your night… I know you've been working non-stop recently…" Mika slowly told her but Stacy simply dismissed her words.  
"It's no problem, honestly" Stacy truthfully told her and Mika sighed again.  
"I really owe you one… The wine and glasses are set up in the kitchen. I'll go around collecting the empty ones while you start refilling. Ugh I really should have just listened to James and had waiters go around refilling glasses instead" Mika explained, her last sentence barely heard as she muttered it under her breath. Stacy laughed at her,  
"I got you" she comforted her. Without another word the two friends parted from one another, Stacy heading straight to the kitchen.

Wine glasses were already set up in tidy rows on the counter, making Stacy grin. She walked over to the cooling cabinet where the wine usually was kept, pulling out a few bottles of white and red. She lent down, closing the door but a chill ran down her back… someone was watching her. Stacy stood herself straight, glancing around the room with analysing eyes but not one else was in view.  
"Hmmm" Stacy breathed, trying to ignore the feeling as she placed the bottles of wine near the glasses. Stacy usually had good instincts, her thoughts and feeling never letting her down but in this moment of time she was questioning herself.

She moved herself to one of the drawers, knowing the bottle opener was usually located there but a glimmer of white caught her attention. She was swift to glance in the direction, the motion too fast to process until it immediately halted. Stacy forgot about her main objective as she cautiously approached one of the darkened corners of the floor, noticing an odd stuffed toy.  
"Huh, weird" Stacy couldn't help but mumble as she crouched down, inspecting the object closely. It was a weird toy for sure; a stuffed white animal with red eyes and a toy knife in its hand. She gently took hold of it, the toy deadly still as she stood, looking at the sealed shut door.  
"Didn't see you there before" she thought aloud,  
"Not sure why someone would throw you across the floor either" she added, her eyes lingering on the door a moment longer, wondering if someone was trying to prank her. She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes turning to the toy as she shot it a confused expression.  
"I didn't know the Toy Company made models like you too, you don't seem like something adults would choose for a child. Eh who am I to judge? Guess you're kind of cute in an odd way" she spoke quietly, brushing the dust it had gathered off its back as she returned to the wine, placing the toy down on the counter.

Stacy returned back to her main objective, filling the glasses up with wine after getting the bottle opener but light shuffling and the clings of pans being disturbed caught her attention. She glanced in that direction, failing to find the cause of it… Surely someone was trying to spook her. She loudly sighed in annoyance to herself, putting down the half empty red wine bottle as she rested her hands on her hips.  
"Y'know if you're trying to scare me you're doing a terrible job at it" she told the room in a blank, bored tone. The shuffling paused for a second, its silence her only reply as she shook her head, slightly amused.  
"Silent type, hm? Well if your plan is to scare me then good luck" she spoke to the room again, a hint of mock added to her tone of voice. A high pitched crackle of a laugh was her reply this time around and instead of flinching she shook her head with a bit back grin, a part of her wondering what she had just done. She lightly laughed to herself, returning to fill the glasses as she awaited their next move.

Silence accompanied her for several minutes as she filled the glasses before shuffling finally returned. Stacy's ears easily tracked their location which remained unknown to the target as they moved about. She bit back her grin until she couldn't contain it anymore,  
"You do realise I can hear you" she stated, her amusement showing as she turned her head in the direction of the halting shuffling. It was now that she realised that the toy had been taken and placed on the floor again in the direction she glanced.  
"Oh I see how this game is… You took that toy? Shame, I was getting attached to it" she spoke in humour, turning her eyes away from the toy. She was given a high pitched laugh and she laughed along, her eyes returning back to the toy but it had disappeared again without her knowing.

She set down the empty bottle, realising that she would need more glasses soon. With a shrug she opened the next bottle, the shuffling returning but it was much quieter now, as if they were trying to conceal their every move. Before Stacy could part her lips to comment on their improvement the kitchen door clinked open, a flushed Mika rushing in with a tray of empty glasses.  
"I can't believe how much they've had" Mika exclaimed as she hurried in, shoving the tray on the counter as she closed the door to. Stacy laughed as she filled her final glass, setting the bottle to the side.  
"You want me to wash those for you?" Stacy asked but Mika shook her head.  
"We should be fine now, you've filled a lot of glasses and it seems they're starting to drink the punch more" Mika honestly told her, noticing the glint in her eye. Mika frowned at her,  
"What has you so entertained?" Mika cautiously asked and Stacy laughed, retelling her events as she started placing the empty glasses off the tray and near the sink.

With each word she spoke she could see Mika dramatically pale, her eyes widening at the mention of the stuffed toy.  
"Hey don't sweat it" Stacy told her when ending her tale.  
"It's just someone trying to pull my leg… Plus I can hear their every movement. The kindergarten kids don't call me the Master of Hide and Seek for nothing" she jokingly said, her eyes instantly turning to her right. The toy from earlier had been moved back to the original place Stacy had put it on the counter, its red eyes seemingly watching the pair.  
"I have to say… whoever is moving the toy is pretty sly, good tactic though" Stacy told her, her eyes never moving from the toy.  
"But not as sly as me" she added, turning her eyes back to Mika as she threw her a wink. Mika nervously laughed, rubbing her hands uneasily.  
"I wasn't expecting Simon to be here" she slowly stated but Stacy was quick to pick up on her tone; it wasn't annoyed towards Simon, it was more as if he was to remain unnoticed. To ease the moment Stacy forced a laugh, waving her hands dismissively.  
"Aw c'mon, there's no harm in a little fun… right?" Stacy spoke to simmer her words and Mika sighed, stiffly shaking her head. Mika's eyes seemed to take notice of the toy again, throwing it a dirty glare. Stacy glanced back at the toy thoughtfully before speaking.  
"He's kind of a rare type of toy, huh?" Stacy commented hinting that he wasn't a part of the Toy Company's collection. Mika quirked a smile.  
"You could say that again" she honestly responded and the two glanced at each other, laughing.  
"It's kind of cute in a way" Stacy commented as she continued to empty the tray of glasses.  
"What? Are you serious?" Mika exclaimed in surprise and Stacy grinned, nodding her head.  
"I don't know how you can think that…" Mika murmured under her breath loud enough for Stacy to hear. She glanced over her friend, noticing the shiver trailing through her body. Mika took note of Stacy's eyes on her.  
"Don't you find him a tad… creepy..?" Mika cautiously asked and Stacy smiled.  
"When you work at a kindergarten school every Thursday for two years straight you see a bunch of weird toys" Stacy mentioned.  
"I often asked the kids why they liked them and although their answers were simple I understood them. Each one has their own character… You'd be surprised how many headless Barbie's and naked action man figures I have seen and yet the kid still loves them" she continued on making Mika slowly nod.

The pair worked together as they refilled the trays with the glasses Stacy had filled, both taking equal loads to take them out. As they both approached the door to leave Stacy halted, turning her head to look at the toy. It had moved location again but it was in sight, looking their way.  
"If we come to meet again Simon… I'll challenge you to a proper hide and seek. You better start training, I'm pretty good at it" Stacy said to the room, peeling her eyes away from the toy as she received her high pitched crackle in response. Mika shook her head at her words, opening the door for them both to leave. As Mika closed the door behind her she sent one final death glare at the toy.

The night finally came to an end and all the guests had left, including the secretly amused Stacy. Mika had closed the front doors with a groan, turning her eyes to Matthew.  
"I thought you got Simon to agree to hiding in a safe place" Mika slowly told him and Matthew quickly nodded.  
"I did! I convinced him to stay in the kitchen for the night! Didn't I tell you?" Matthew quickly replied and for a moment Mika was dumbfounded, remember that he did indeed tell her. She groaned again, telling him what had happened with Stacy.  
"Oh no!" he cried at her tale.  
"Do you think she knows?" Matthew hurriedly asked in horror and Mika slowly shook her head.  
"She thought it was a child trying to spook her by moving around the toy" she told him. Matthew sighed in relief but Mika remained unhappy.  
"I'll never be able to invite her over again" she sadly said, shaking her head. It was then that Damien approached the pair, a soft smile on his face.  
"Actually I was thinking the opposite" he softly told the two. Both Mika and Matthew looked at him in bewilderment and he chuckled at their expressions.  
"Simon's practically like a child. I think Stacy could easily amuse him for hours on end… Plus he seems to have taken a liking to her" Damien told them.  
"But… he's a-" Matthew started but Damien silenced him with a shake of his head.  
"She'd be fine with it" was his simplistic response. Mika looked at him in surprise before weakly smiling, a knowing expression crossing her features.  
"Yeah… she would be" she murmured aloud as she looked in the direction of the dining room, knowing the kitchen where Simon remained hiding was connected to it.  
"I'll think about it" was Mika's only reply.


	8. Diana and Saero Route

**Diana and Saero's Route.**

Stacy took her time as she wandered through the party; grabbing a small amount of food, socialising with the guests and accepting a dance with someone she didn't know but Stacy was growing restless. Her constant studying and working had taken a toll on her; she was secretly exhausted to no end and usually she could deal with it but her head was pounding tonight.  
"You feeling alright?" Mika asked her when finding her sometime later and Stacy had politely nodded in return but Mika knew her too well.  
"Go and get some fresh air, go out the small sitting room's door… Take the thick blanket with you if you want" Mika suggested and Stacy gratefully accepted, giving her a soft pat on the arm before leaving the dining room area. Stacy took the route Mika suggested, remembering to grab the blanket on her way out.

The air was chilling to her skin as she wrapped the large blanket around her, thankful that the roaring music behind her dimmed down as she approached the lone bench some distance away. She took no notice of her surroundings as she took the seat, letting out a long heavy sigh. She closed her eyes, tilting her head upwards in the hopes of removing her headache but instead it merely got worse.  
"And what's such a beautifully dressed up lady such as yourself doing out here alone?" a strong beautiful voice spoke. Stacy peaked one eye open, looking up at a woman she had never met before.  
"Am I truly alone if you're here?" Stacy blankly questioned back to the newcomer before opening both eyes.  
"But if you want the truth I wanted some fresh air" she added onto her sentence making the woman grin.

Stacy was surprised that the woman had caught her off guard – she hadn't heard her approaching her and she had thought she was alone when coming here originally. Stacy also didn't recognise her from the party, she would have definitely spotted her long flowing hair and sparkling purple dress from a mile off.  
"I'm surprised you're not cold" Stacy offhandedly commended as she returned to her original position, her eyes reclosing. The woman seemed to hum at her words thoughtfully.  
"You're more than welcome to join me, the blanket is surprisingly large… Unless you plan to return to the party" Stacy offered and unknown to her a look of surprise flashed over the strangers face.  
"You'd offer that to someone you've only just met?" the woman asked, her voice carefully controlled and Stacy shrugged.  
"Stacy" she simply said, not bothering to look her way.  
"Pardon?" the woman replied but Stacy was unfazed by her confusion.  
"You can't consider me as a complete stranger if you know my name" Stacy blankly told her and she was met with complete silence.

Stacy had wondered if the stranger simply left, perhaps not getting her quirky sense of humour but shuffling from beside her gained her attention. Stacy opened both of her eyes, glad she was no longer alone.  
"Diana" was the name she spoke when facing the younger out of the two and Stacy smiled, shifting slowly to allow the blanket to reach out to her. The one named Diana accepted the offer, draping the object over her shoulders as her eyes moved to the sky.  
"You're quite the oddball" was the only thing that left Diana's lips. Stacy gently laughed at her statement, her eyes leaving her form as she too looked at the sky.  
"Seems we're a match then, I can't help but notice you hide behind your name" Stacy simply told her and in the darkness of the night Diana raised a brow.  
"Anything else you can't help but notice?" Diana pushed on, wondering what her limitations were.  
"That you're not exactly invited to the event" Stacy continued on.  
"But that's none of my concern" she added on.

The pair fell into a small silence that overtime they felt comfortable with.  
"How is she? The huma- Mika" the woman asked, breaking the silence between them. Stacy noticed her slip of the tongue, her face scrunching in question but she didn't voice it aloud.  
"She's doing well, it won't be long until she's done with college. As far as I know she doesn't know what she wants to do afterwards but I'm sure she'll be fine either way. It's not like she's alone" Stacy slowly informed her. Stacy had carefully chosen her words, giving her enough information to satisfy her but not too much that it would breach the trust she had with Mika. After all she wasn't sure if Mika knew this woman.  
"And what about you? I'm sure Mika would be curious to how you are… You have a reason for coming here, don't you?" Stacy said after a moment, keeping the conversation flowing while trying to find out more about her. Stacy could feel the air shift slightly, a tension that had appeared.  
"It's probably best not to know" Diana murmured softly, a touch of sadness to her tone.

Stacy was naturally good at reading people; although Diana may seem suspicious Stacy was wise enough to know that Diana truly cared about Mika. It was not her place to ask why she wanted to remain hidden so she left it unasked. They both fell into silence once more but once again Diana was the one to speak.  
"And what of the boys?" she slowly asked and Stacy took the time to look her way.  
"The ones living with her?" she asked and the woman nodded.  
"I can't say… I don't know them" Stacy honestly replied making the woman sigh. One again Stacy did not question her why she asked, she knew that she wouldn't get a true answer either way.  
"It's strange how all of you can be so different" Diana whispered and Stacy placed her eyes back to the sky, curious to what she meant.  
"Yet it is comforting to know that there is still purity in this world" Diana continued on. Stacy parted her lips, wanting to ask her where the topic was heading but she closed her lips again, letting her think.  
"I think you can find purity anywhere if you look hard enough, even if it is rare" Stacy quietly told her, her words brief.  
"It never leaves souls, it just gets tainted" she added to her words with a sigh.

Diana glanced her way thoughtfully, a look of curiosity on her face. Stacy's eyes were still firmly set to the sky, analysing one star from another. Diana wasn't sure why she still remained here but her gut told her that she was of importance.  
"You said that we were a match" Diana quietly said, recalling their short conversation.  
"You also hide behind a name" she told her and even though Stacy was unmoving Diana noticed the tight smile on her face.  
"You wonder if it's for the same reason" Stacy commented. Diana hummed to herself, knowing it couldn't be.  
"It could be" Stacy murmured but then frowned before Diana could voice her opinion.  
"But I wouldn't know" she truthfully murmured.

Diana couldn't help but grow sceptical, thinking the girl was now toying with her but Stacy deeply sighed.  
"Do you know what it's like to lose everything?" Stacy asked her, not expecting any kind of answer.  
"To lose all memories, all trails of thoughts… just… completely lose yourself?" Stacy continued on, pinpointing her previous question.  
"No…" Diana blankly replied yet Stacy knew that Diana had experienced a different kind of loss during her life.  
"You don't even wake up… You're just simply stood there, in a middle of a cemetery with no knowledge what-so-ever. You don't know what objects or feelings are called yet you unknowingly recognise them. You can read things yet you don't know the language or why you knew it" Stacy told her, speaking of past experiences.  
"Yet no doctor could find the cause or treatment. I had only one wound to my body yet it wasn't the cause" Stacy told her. Diana listened to her words carefully.  
"They also can't explain why I learn so fast and know a collection of languages. Apparently I had been speaking Latin to them" she continued on with a frown.  
"What was the wound?" Diana slowly asked, her heart tightening.  
"A simple cross burnt into the skin, no other marks or scars were seen. It's placed on my back…" Stacy told her and she forgot her thoughts as she looked at Diana.

The woman had completely frozen, as if she had put all the pieces together. Stacy sighed at her expression, shaking her head.  
"You are not the first person I've seen react like that" Stacy told her which seemed to soften Diana's body. Before the pair could further their conversation another joined them, their appearance one that they both knew.  
"You still seem to have good timing" Stacy openly said to the male who grinned in return. Diana looked between the two in surprise, the male being the one to talk.  
"I was the one to first see her" the male told Diana who still seemed to be surprised. The male look and sounded no different to the last time Diana had seen him.  
"What are you doing here? Where's your glamour!" Diana quickly spoke in panic, shiftily looking at Stacy but he chuckled.  
"She's permitted to see us in our true forms" the male explained to her.  
"And Saero and I had planned to meet" Stacy told Diana. At the sound of his name the male smiled in her direction before looking at Diana, questioning her presence here.  
"Checking on the human again?" he asked as he took a seat closely next to Diana, grinning as he already knew the answer. It was now that Stacy decided to stand, leaving the blanket draped over Diana. She looked back at the pair in wonder before her eyes fell to the mansion.  
"She's already debating if she should come and find you" Saero lowly said making Stacy sigh.  
"I should probably return before Mika comes then" she told them, Saero nodding knowingly.  
"We can arrange another day" he told her, knowing they wouldn't have time to catch up now. She nodded in agreement, turning her eyes to Diana who remained silent.  
"Do well to look after him" she quietly told him, smiling.  
"I do hope we will meet again one day" Stacy continued on and her voice was hopeful. Diana was still silent, trying to figure out what was going on.  
"I'm sure that can be arranged" Saero softly said and with a simple nod Stacy left the pair, clearing her thoughts as she made her way back to the mansion.

Both Saero and Diana remained on the bench, only moving when Stacy fell out of sight.  
"Was she once…" Diana softly went to ask but immediately halted as her eyes fell on Saero. Tears were threatening to leave his eyes and the warmth in his face was completely gone as he stared in the direction of Stacy's faded form.  
"Yes" he quietly informed.  
"She was once pure… But now tainted" he continued on before weakly sighing.  
"It never gets any easier seeing her this way. She wears herself out by studying and working just to survive in a world she never came from" Saero continued on but his words were bitter. Diana softly placed her hands on his arm, the males face relaxing as he looked across at his lover.  
"What happened to her?" Diana gently asked and Saero sadly shook his head, tears finally falling down his cheeks.  
"She did what she does best… she protected the one she loves" Saero told her. Diana pulled him into an embrace, hoping to sooth him.  
"She did it all for him… her brother…" he weakly told her but Diana heard the bitterness again, the resentment. Saero leaned into her.  
"The worst part is… she forgave him" he murmured, burrowing his head into her shoulder.

The pair remained that way for quite some time, quietly embracing one another. Diana was wise enough to connect the dots, her heart twisting at the possibilities that caused the incident.  
"One day I'll clear her true name" Saero murmured into her shoulder.  
"No…" Diana breathed,  
"One day we will clear it… together".


	9. Mika, Suzu and Naomi Route

**Mika, Suzu and Naomi's Route.**

Time had passed and Stacy found herself re-joining Mika, Suzu and Naomi. The trio seemed to be in deep discussion but when noticing Stacy nearby they beckoned her over.  
"I take it you didn't find anyone to hook up with?" Suzu loudly teased over the music and Naomi hushed her quickly.  
"Ignore her Stacy, she's bitter and having a rant about how nearly everyone has a date tonight" Naomi quickly explained, her words firing up the shortest one of the four more.  
"To right I am!" Suzu cried,  
"This happens every time, I go off to a party and men notice everyone except me" Suzu complained, her hands tugging parts of her hair in frustration.  
"You don't exactly go up and talk to them" Naomi tried to reason, looking across at Mika and Stacy to back her up but the two were wise enough to remain silent.  
"You're the same!" Suzu quickly retorted, a light blush on her cheeks noticeable making both Stacy and Mika laugh. Naomi had turned the same way, her cheeks reddening as the focus was turned to her.  
"You two are like an old married couple" Stacy commented hoping to defuse the tension and as Mika nodded in agreement the pair glared Stacy's way.  
"So what's your excuse then?" Suzu asked, her eyes firmly glued to Stacy but she shrugged.  
"I'm not looking for anyone" she honestly told her which disappointed Suzu, her eyes leaving Stacy's form as she glanced at Naomi, tut-ing in distaste.  
"You've been shooting him glances all night long" Suzu half complained, half stated as Naomi looked off into the crowd, her eyes never leaving a particular male.  
"No I haven't!" Naomi quickly snapped, her attention back to the group but it was very clear to all of them that she had.

Her cheeks deepened in colour as Suzu began to playfully tease her over it, the pair soon bickering among themselves once again.  
"This happens at every party" Mika quietly told Stacy as they watched on in amusement.  
"And every year Naomi backs out and never talks to the one that catches her eye" she added with a small smile. Naomi heard Mika's words, narrowing her eyes at her as she held her head high.  
"It's not the same this time" Naomi managed to say but Suzu snickered.  
"Isn't it?" Suzu asked her in amusement. Naomi clenched her fists, standing herself up from the table.  
"No it's not! I'm going to go over there and talk to him!" she boldly told her group of friends yet she remained unmoving, a silent plea for someone to back her out of it.  
"Oh yeah?" Suzu pushed on with a wide grin.  
"Yeah!" Naomi quickly replied before looking in a completely different direction to before.  
"I bet you'll do the same as always staring at your crush all night long" Naomi added, hoping her insult bruised Suzu's pride.  
"Wh-what? No-no I won't!" Suzu spluttered with an opened mouth but Naomi shrugged.  
"I don't see you moving" Naomi teased and with those words she turned, heading to the male she had been watching for most of the night. Suzu silently watched on, shocked that Naomi had finally done something.  
"Well…" Mika slowly said, her tone level.  
"Are you going to let Naomi be right about something again?" Mika continued on, her brow raised as she tried to press the question on her.  
"Hell no, I'll never hear the end of it!" Suzu quickly replied, standing from her chair.  
"Two can play her game" Suzu added, a smirk on her lips as she left the two to hunt down her crush.

Both Mika and Stacy remained quiet for a while, drinking their punch while watching their two friends in the distance but Mika was the first to break the ice.  
"Who do you think will ask to be saved first?" she quietly questioned, Stacy glancing over at her in confusion.  
"What makes you think that they need saving?" Stacy curiously asked and Mika sent her a sly grin, a knowing expression on her face.  
"The one Naomi is speaking to is a bit of an old fart. He loves nothing more than to talk about his passion for snail racing and the fact that his parents own some famous racehorses in Europe" Mika slowly explained.  
"As for Suzu she's speaking with one of the men we've known since high school. He's a huge know-it-all but in a bad way. He loves nothing more than to brag about his grades and to look down at everyone he crosses paths with" Mika continued on, Stacy humming at the information.  
"Do they know that about them?" Stacy asked as she nodded towards her two friends, Mika laughing while shaking her head.  
"Even if I did tell them they wouldn't have listened to me. Those two may have their differences but they're both equally stubborn" Mike truthfully told her.

Stacy took a moment to observe the two, noticing that neither of them had a look of enjoyment. Naomi was trying her best to remain polite while speaking to her partner but it was clear to Stacy that she was cringing every time the man spoke. She was clearly uncomfortable with her choice tonight yet she never tried to move away from him. Suzu on the other hand was holding back her anger; somehow the one she spoke to had triggered her in some way yet he failed to notice her raising anger, the man continuing to speak on without a care in the world. Stacy assumed it was a very one-sided conversation with how little Suzu's lips moved compared to him but, like Naomi, she didn't leave him for better company.  
"Looks like they're both competing" Stacy confessed to Mika and as if proving her point Suzu and Naomi glanced each other's way, glaring at each other.  
"That's how they roll" Mika offhandedly told her and Stacy grinned.  
"How long do you think they'll keep the act up for?" Stacy asked, knowing Mika was close to the two girls.  
"Another half hour I would say, any longer and Suzu will end up attacking the guy" Mika answered. The two at the table fell into silence again as they continued to watch on.

True to her word thirty minutes had gone by and both Naomi and Suzu were parted from their chosen partners. Suzu had been so furious with hers that she loudly argued with him. They had caused a scene, the two falling apart as Suzu angrily stormed off from him and towards Naomi.  
"Let's go" she had demanded and Naomi didn't dare to refuse, thankful Suzu had saved her from her misery. They both returned to the table, Mika and Stacy knowingly smiling in their direction.

Mika and Stacy didn't say a word at their return, handing them both a glass of punch which they both accepted.  
"I was so close to punching that jackass" Suzu darkly muttered as she took a gulp of her drink.  
"I was close to throwing my drink over my one… I wish I hadn't drunk it so fast" Naomi quietly whined, sighing as Suzu groaned.  
"Guys suck" they both said in unison, looking at each other before laughing. Mika knowingly smiled at the pair as Stacy braved asking her how bad they truly were. From the stories they retold it firmly matched what Mika had told her in private, Stacy finding it hard to hide her grin.  
"I know what will cheer you guys up" Stacy spoke, eyeing up the area where people were dancing. Naomi's eyes widened in realisation as Suzu wildly grinned.  
"What? You scared?" Suzu playfully asked her, drawling out her words and Naomi glared.  
"No" she bit back. Instantly the two were on their feet, dragging one another to the dance area.  
"They just don't stop" Mika told Stacy in amusement and she laughed in return.  
"Come on" Stacy told her as she stood,  
"No point us missing out on this one" she continued on and Mika nodded in agreement. They were both quick to join the odd two in their dancing, glad that finally all four of them had come together to enjoy the night.

Stacy had imagined her night to turn out this way, laughing and dancing with her small group of friends. She was glad Suzu and Naomi had accepted her quickly. It most definitely wasn't a hugely eventful night but Stacy knew that this was the beginning of her friendship with Suzu and Naomi. They both argued, fought and competed with each other but both Stacy and Mika wouldn't have them any other way…


End file.
